Tigerland
Encyclopedia
Tigerland is a 2000 war
drama film
directed by Joel Schumacher
starring Colin Farrell
in the role of Private Roland Bozz, and takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War
.
Tigerland was the name of a U.S. Army training camp located at Fort Polk
, Louisiana
as part of the U.S. Army Advanced Infantry Training Center. The film's setting is loosely based on this training camp.
is lost. In the opinion of the average American soldier who came of age during the Peace movement
of the 1960s, Vietnam was lost a long time ago. Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell
), a draftee who is opposed to the war, is shown to be an unruly soldier with no respect for authority; he disobeys orders and talks back to his superiors. He quickly befriends another recruit, Jim Paxton (Matthew Davis
), an aspiring writer who records his experiences in a personal journal. Unlike Bozz, Paxton volunteered for the Army. Upon reaching their post the company CO, Captain Saunders makes it clear that every soldier who passes through Fort Polk and Tigerland will be sent to Vietnam. He also states that any political views on the war are irrelevant at this point.
As the film progresses, another side of Bozz is shown. Having "x-ray vision for loopholes," Bozz finds ways for soldiers to get out of the army, one because he has not only his children, but a handicapped wife with her own, and later another soldier, Miter (Clifton Collins Jr.), who joined to prove his manhood but finds himself way over his head. At one point, another soldier approaches Bozz while on leave and asks for help getting out, saying "I was told if you don't wanna go to 'Nam, you either pray to Jesus, or go see Roland Bozz." Bozz also shows his reasoning behind being opposed to the war: his human compassion. Eventually Bozz's natural leadership and ability earns him the title of squad leader (sometimes called acting Jack). Another private named Wilson (Shea Whigham
), a racial bigot and instigator, continuously demeans Miter and Bozz (basically anyone whom he judges to be "weaker" than himself). Bozz is the only one that retaliates, which results in a fight between the two. Paxton helps break up the fight and also earns the hatred of Wilson.
Later, while doing live fire exercises, Wilson goes after Bozz with a pistol, telling him he's going to kill him. Bozz tries to take away the gun and the two wrestle each other to the ground, Wilson getting the upper hand and putting the gun to the back of Bozz's head and pulling the trigger. Miraculously, the gun misfires, saving Bozz's life. The Commanding Officer lets Bozz choose the punishment: have Wilson court-martial
ed or "let me deal with him," strongly suggesting the latter. Despite the commanding officer strongly pressing to let him deal with it, Bozz says he wants Wilson "out of the army" because he recognizes Wilson has taken an emotional beating ever since his inability to command became obvious. Bozz leaves the office saying he wants Wilson out.
The platoon is sent to "Tigerland" - a forested training area designed as the best possible replica of Vietnam
. During an exercise, Bozz' squad acts as villagers in a mock Vietnamese village, with one squad member designated as a "VC sympathizer", and competes with another squad charged with rooting the sympathizer out. This other squad is led by Wilson, who was not kicked out of the army after all. As the exercise ends with Bozz's squad "winning," Wilson tells Bozz he will kill him no matter what it takes. Soon thereafter, Bozz is about ready to make an escape to Mexico with the aid of some civilians he paid. Platoon member Johnson (Russell Richardson) sees him and tells him to stop; Johnson tells him if he runs away, Wilson will go after Paxton instead of Bozz and he will be responsible for his friend's death. The scene ends with Bozz apparently climbing into the van, but the next morning as the platoon falls in, Bozz comes back, acting as if he had merely gone off to urinate.
During the last training exercise, Bozz's squad and Wilson's squad are pitted against each other on patrolling missions. As Wilson's squad prepares for an attack, he replaces his blank cartridges with live ammunition and removes his blank-firing adaptor
. As Bozz's squad nears, he opens fire. Though he does not hit anyone, it is obvious he is using live ammunition and the trainer for the exercise tries to intervene. As he does, Bozz is standing above Paxton and deliberately fires a blank round with his rifle muzzle near Paxton's face, the flash wounding Paxton's eye. The trainer aims a pistol at Wilson's head to get him to hold his weapon up and surrender, telling him he will be court-martialed.
At the end of the film, the entire platoon gets ready to head to Vietnam
, except Paxton whose eye injury, though not permanent, has earned him a medical discharge. Bozz and the others board a bus and he and Paxton exchange farewells through a window. Paxton tells Bozz he's going to write about him, but Bozz says he won't. He has stolen Paxton's journal and rips out pages as the platoon's bus drives off, leaving Paxton scrambling to recover them. Bozz tosses the journal as the bus speeds away.
Paxton then is told that Bozz died in Vietnam but he was never listed, others said he just disappeared, but another solder called Paxton and said that he thinks he saw Bozz 3 years ago in Mexico with a beautiful woman.
and Camp Blanding
, site of the Demi Moore
film G.I. Jane
.
by Dalton Trumbo
. This can be interpreted as a message from the writer, suggesting influences on the film.
A novel of the same name written by Howard Alan Lantzer copyright Second Circle Press 1992 is a possible basis for the film. Howard Alan Lantzer completed Tigerland as a part of his Creative Writing MA from his experience as a Viet Nam infantry conscript. The movie was made without his knowledge and does not mention this.
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher
Joel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died when Joel was four years old...
starring Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
in the role of Private Roland Bozz, and takes place in a training camp for soldiers to be sent to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Tigerland was the name of a U.S. Army training camp located at Fort Polk
Fort Polk
Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, approximately 7 miles east of Leesville, Louisiana and 20 miles north of DeRidder, Louisiana....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
as part of the U.S. Army Advanced Infantry Training Center. The film's setting is loosely based on this training camp.
Plot
It is September 1971 and it is clear that the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
is lost. In the opinion of the average American soldier who came of age during the Peace movement
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
of the 1960s, Vietnam was lost a long time ago. Roland Bozz (Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
), a draftee who is opposed to the war, is shown to be an unruly soldier with no respect for authority; he disobeys orders and talks back to his superiors. He quickly befriends another recruit, Jim Paxton (Matthew Davis
Matthew Davis
Matthew W. Davis is an American actor.-Life and career:Davis was born in Salt Lake City. He attended Woods Cross High School, and the University of Utah....
), an aspiring writer who records his experiences in a personal journal. Unlike Bozz, Paxton volunteered for the Army. Upon reaching their post the company CO, Captain Saunders makes it clear that every soldier who passes through Fort Polk and Tigerland will be sent to Vietnam. He also states that any political views on the war are irrelevant at this point.
As the film progresses, another side of Bozz is shown. Having "x-ray vision for loopholes," Bozz finds ways for soldiers to get out of the army, one because he has not only his children, but a handicapped wife with her own, and later another soldier, Miter (Clifton Collins Jr.), who joined to prove his manhood but finds himself way over his head. At one point, another soldier approaches Bozz while on leave and asks for help getting out, saying "I was told if you don't wanna go to 'Nam, you either pray to Jesus, or go see Roland Bozz." Bozz also shows his reasoning behind being opposed to the war: his human compassion. Eventually Bozz's natural leadership and ability earns him the title of squad leader (sometimes called acting Jack). Another private named Wilson (Shea Whigham
Shea Whigham
Franklin Shea Whigham, Jr. , best known as Shea Whigham, is an American actor notably starring as Elias "Eli" Thompson on the HBO dramatic series Boardwalk Empire.-Early life:...
), a racial bigot and instigator, continuously demeans Miter and Bozz (basically anyone whom he judges to be "weaker" than himself). Bozz is the only one that retaliates, which results in a fight between the two. Paxton helps break up the fight and also earns the hatred of Wilson.
Later, while doing live fire exercises, Wilson goes after Bozz with a pistol, telling him he's going to kill him. Bozz tries to take away the gun and the two wrestle each other to the ground, Wilson getting the upper hand and putting the gun to the back of Bozz's head and pulling the trigger. Miraculously, the gun misfires, saving Bozz's life. The Commanding Officer lets Bozz choose the punishment: have Wilson court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
ed or "let me deal with him," strongly suggesting the latter. Despite the commanding officer strongly pressing to let him deal with it, Bozz says he wants Wilson "out of the army" because he recognizes Wilson has taken an emotional beating ever since his inability to command became obvious. Bozz leaves the office saying he wants Wilson out.
The platoon is sent to "Tigerland" - a forested training area designed as the best possible replica of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. During an exercise, Bozz' squad acts as villagers in a mock Vietnamese village, with one squad member designated as a "VC sympathizer", and competes with another squad charged with rooting the sympathizer out. This other squad is led by Wilson, who was not kicked out of the army after all. As the exercise ends with Bozz's squad "winning," Wilson tells Bozz he will kill him no matter what it takes. Soon thereafter, Bozz is about ready to make an escape to Mexico with the aid of some civilians he paid. Platoon member Johnson (Russell Richardson) sees him and tells him to stop; Johnson tells him if he runs away, Wilson will go after Paxton instead of Bozz and he will be responsible for his friend's death. The scene ends with Bozz apparently climbing into the van, but the next morning as the platoon falls in, Bozz comes back, acting as if he had merely gone off to urinate.
During the last training exercise, Bozz's squad and Wilson's squad are pitted against each other on patrolling missions. As Wilson's squad prepares for an attack, he replaces his blank cartridges with live ammunition and removes his blank-firing adaptor
Blank-firing adaptor
A blank-firing adaptor or blank-firing attachment , sometimes called a blank adaptor or blank attachment, is a device used in conjunction with blank ammunition. Blank firing adapters are required for allowing blanks to cycle most automatic firearms.-Design:The design of the blank firing adapter...
. As Bozz's squad nears, he opens fire. Though he does not hit anyone, it is obvious he is using live ammunition and the trainer for the exercise tries to intervene. As he does, Bozz is standing above Paxton and deliberately fires a blank round with his rifle muzzle near Paxton's face, the flash wounding Paxton's eye. The trainer aims a pistol at Wilson's head to get him to hold his weapon up and surrender, telling him he will be court-martialed.
At the end of the film, the entire platoon gets ready to head to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, except Paxton whose eye injury, though not permanent, has earned him a medical discharge. Bozz and the others board a bus and he and Paxton exchange farewells through a window. Paxton tells Bozz he's going to write about him, but Bozz says he won't. He has stolen Paxton's journal and rips out pages as the platoon's bus drives off, leaving Paxton scrambling to recover them. Bozz tosses the journal as the bus speeds away.
Paxton then is told that Bozz died in Vietnam but he was never listed, others said he just disappeared, but another solder called Paxton and said that he thinks he saw Bozz 3 years ago in Mexico with a beautiful woman.
Cast
- Colin FarrellColin FarrellColin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
- Private Roland Bozz - Matthew DavisMatthew DavisMatthew W. Davis is an American actor.-Life and career:Davis was born in Salt Lake City. He attended Woods Cross High School, and the University of Utah....
- Private Jim Paxton - Clifton Collins, Jr.Clifton Collins, Jr.Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. is an American actor.-Life and career:Clifton Craig Collins, Jr. was born in Los Angeles, of half Mexican descent and the grandson of actor Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez. He has sometimes been credited as Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez to honor his grandfather...
- Private Miter - Tom GuiryTom GuiryThomas John Guiry is an American actor.Guiry was born in Trenton, New Jersey and attended St. Gregory the Great school in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey from kindergarten through eighth grade, and then high school at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey...
- Private Cantwell - Shea WhighamShea WhighamFranklin Shea Whigham, Jr. , best known as Shea Whigham, is an American actor notably starring as Elias "Eli" Thompson on the HBO dramatic series Boardwalk Empire.-Early life:...
- Private Wilson - Russell Richardson - Private Johnson
- Nick SearcyNick SearcyNick Searcy is an American actor who currently portrays Chief DeputyUnited States Marshal Art Mullen on FX's Justified. He also had a major role in the Tom Hanks produced miniseries From the Earth to the Moon as Deke Slayton....
- Captain Saunders - Afemo OmilamiAfemo OmilamiAfemo Omilami is an American actor.-Career:He has appeared in many films such as Glory , The Firm , Gordy , Remember the Titans , Hounddog , and The Blind Side...
- Sergeant First Class Ezra Landers - James MacDonald - Staff Sergeant Thomas
- Keith Ewell - Sergeant Oakes
- Matt GeraldMatt GeraldMatt Gerald is an American actor, screenwriter, and musician.He was born in Miami, Florida, USA. A graduate of The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania, Gerald is best known for his role as Corporal Lyle Wainfleet in James Cameron's sci-fi thriller, Avatar...
- Sergeant Eveland - Stephen Fulton - Sergeant Drake
- Michael ShannonMichael Shannon (actor)Michael Corbett Shannon is an American stage, film, and television actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Revolutionary Road...
- Sergeant Filmore - Cole HauserCole HauserCole Kenneth Hauser is an American film and television actor.-Family background:Hauser was born in Santa Barbara, California, son of Cass Warner, who founded the film production company Warner Sisters, and actor Wings Hauser. His paternal grandfather was Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dwight...
- Staff Sergeant Cota
Production
Tigerland was filmed on location in Jacksonville, FloridaJacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
and Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding
Camp Blanding Joint Training Center is the primary military reservation and training base for the Florida National Guard, both the Florida Army National Guard and certain non-flying activities of the Florida Air National Guard. The installation is located in Clay County, Florida near the city of...
, site of the Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Demi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
film G.I. Jane
G.I. Jane
G.I. Jane is a 1997 American action film directed by Ridley Scott, produced by Largo Entertainment, Scott Free Productions and Caravan Pictures, distributed by Hollywood Pictures and starring Demi Moore and Viggo Mortensen. The film tells the fictional story of the first woman to undergo training...
.
Influences
In one scene set in a bar, Bozz is seen holding a black book, with a cover illustration of a hand giving the peace sign. It is a copy of the anti-war novel Johnny Got His GunJohnny Got His Gun
Johnny Got His Gun is an anti-war novel written in 1938 by American novelist and screenwriter Dalton Trumboand published by J. B. Lippincott company.-Plot:...
by Dalton Trumbo
Dalton Trumbo
James Dalton Trumbo was an American screenwriter and novelist, and one of the Hollywood Ten, a group of film professionals who refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947 during the committee's investigation of Communist influences in the motion picture industry...
. This can be interpreted as a message from the writer, suggesting influences on the film.
A novel of the same name written by Howard Alan Lantzer copyright Second Circle Press 1992 is a possible basis for the film. Howard Alan Lantzer completed Tigerland as a part of his Creative Writing MA from his experience as a Viet Nam infantry conscript. The movie was made without his knowledge and does not mention this.